Sementara itu di Asia Timur-Tenggara serta Eropa & Amerika ancaman perang nuklir tidak kalah seru dengan pilkada. Dunia semakin sesak dengan omong kosong. - 9 HOURS AGO ’Chemical attack’in Syria draws international outrage UN toinvestigate potential war crimes after dozens, including children, die inrebel-held town of Idlib province. A suspected chemical attack on arebel-held town in Syria's Idlib province has drawn widespread internationalcondemnation, with the United Nations saying it will investigate thebombing raid as a possible war crime. At least 72 people, including 11children, were killed in Khan Sheikhoun on Tuesday, according tothe Syrian American Medical Society (SAMS), which runs several fieldhospitals in the area. More than 550 people were injured. SAMS doctors on the ground said theattack caused people to vomit and foam from the mouth. Others lostconsciousness and suffered muscle spasms. The group said the symptoms, which alsoincluded constricted pupils and slow heart rate, were indicative of anorgano-phosphorus compounds agent - a category of toxic gases which includessarin. "We were affected by the gas. Wecouldn't stand up," Veda Ajej, one of the survivors treated in a hospitalin the Turkish town of Reyhanli, near the Syria border, told the Reuters newsagency. "I felt dizzy and nauseous,"she said, lying in a hospital bed. "I couldn't breathe." Local health workers said the death tollcould rise and eventually reach 100. A member of the White Helmets, a rescuegroup that operates in rebel-held areas, told Al Jazeera that up to 300 peoplehad been injured. The Syrian National Coalition, anopposition group, said a gas similar to sarin was used in the attack, which itblamed on government planes. Syria's military rejected the accusation,saying in a statement that the army "denies using any toxic or chemicalagents in Khan Sheikhoun today, and it did not and never will use itanywhere". Russia, an ally of Syria's President Basharal-Assad, on Wednesday said Syrian aircraft had carried out a raid, but thechemicals were part of a "terrorist" stockpile of "toxicsubstances" that had been hit on the ground. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres was"deeply disturbed" by the attack, his spokesman said, adding that theworld body was "currently not in a position to independently verify"the reports of use of chemical weapons. An emergency Security Council meeting wasscheduled for Wednesday. The United States, Britain and France proposed aSecurity Council resolution that diplomats said would be likely to be put to avote. The draft text, seen by Reuters, saysSyria's government must provide an international investigation with flightplans and logs for Tuesday, the names of all helicopter squadron commanders andprovide access to air bases where investigators believe attacks using chemicalsmay have been launched. If confirmed, it would be the deadliestchemical attack in Syria since sarin gas killed hundreds of civilians inGhouta, near the capital, Damascus, in August 2013. Western states said theSyrian government was responsible for the 2013 attack. Damascus blamed rebels. Khan Sheikhoun residents said theattack began in the early hours of Tuesday morning, when they heard planes inthe sky followed by a series of loud explosions, after which people very quicklybegan to show symptoms. They said they could not identify the planes. BothSyrian and Russian jets have bombed the area before. "My family and I were sleepingduring the attack," Ahmed, another survivor treated in Reyhanli, toldReuters. "The bombing was carried out and there was a big explosion. Ifelt dizzy and nauseous. I had trouble breathing - I don't remember therest." Charles Duelfer, a chemical weaponsexpert in Washington DC, said it was "unlikely" that the attack wasnot the work of the Syrian regime. "What changed is the nature ofthe agent," he told Al Jazeera. "There were previous cases where theOPCW [Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons] and the UN haveidentified that the regime used a chemical but it's only been chlorine. Thisagent appears to be a military agent which is far more effective." Duelfer also said it was"puzzling" why government forces appeared to have resorted to usingchemical weapons at a time when they are doing well militarily on the ground. "They [chemical weapons] are notreally serving a substantial military purpose. They can certainly spreadterror, and they certainly seem to have a political effect, although it's hardfor me to calculate how that would be a positive thing for Bashar al-Assad rightnow - unless he wants to demonstrate that he's there, no matter what anyoneelse says or wants to do about it." Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirimsaid Turkey hopes the UN will punish the attack's perpetrators in the name ofhumanity. "The inhumane savagery in Idlib,Syria this morning, unfortunately, shocked all of us deeply," he said. Britain and France also called forrenewed efforts at the Security Council for those behind the use of toxic gasin the war to be held accountable.
Such attempts have been repeatedly blocked by Russia, Syria's main ally and aveto-wielding council member. "This is clearly a war crime,"British Ambassador Matthew Rycroft told reporters. "I call on the Security Councilmembers who have previously used their vetoes to defend the indefensible tochange their course." The US said Assad must be heldaccountable for chemical weapons attacks and demanded that Russia and Iranbring their ally to heel. "While we continue to monitor theterrible situation, it is clear that this is how Bashar al-Assad operates: withbrutal, unabashed barbarism," Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said. White House spokesman Sean Spicer toldreporters that President Donald Trump was "extremely alarmed" byreports of the attack, which he called "reprehensible". French President Francois Hollandeaccused the Syrian government of a "massacre". "Once again the Syrian regime willdeny the evidence of its responsibility for this massacre," he said in astatement. On three previous occasions, UNinvestigations have found the Syrian army guilty of using chemical weapons. In a statement, the UN Commission ofInquiry on Syria said the use of chemical weapons, as well as any deliberatetargeting of medical facilities, "would amount to war crimes and seriousviolations of human rights law". "It is imperative for perpetratorsof such attacks to be identified and held accountable," said theindependent panel led by Brazilian expert Paulo Pinheiro. The European Union's top diplomat,Federica Mogherini, said: "Obviously there is a primary responsibilityfrom the regime because it has the primary responsibility of protecting itspeople." Source: Al Jazeera and news agencies
